CELEBRATING 130 YEARS OF THE TIFFANY SETTING

  |   30-04-2016

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For the first time, Tiffany & Co. is casting its advertising spotlight on the artisans behind its most iconic diamond ring, as part of a year-long campaign to illustrate why the globally recognised symbol of love and marriage – the Tiffany setting engagement ring – can only be found at Tiffany.

Caroline Naggiar, chief marketing officer of Tiffany & Co. said: “When our founder Charles Tiffany introduced the Tiffany setting in 1886, he gave us not only a symbol of true love, but also an enduring reminder of our diamond heritage and reputation for craftsmanship. What better way to celebrate the 130th anniversary of this handcrafted ring than to honour its makers.”

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The I will campaign follows Tiffany’s spring 2015 Will you? engagement campaign, which featured modern couples embarking on a new chapter in their romantic journey. This years campaign features testimony by the real artisans who hand cut, hand polish and handcraft each ring in an unparalleled tradition of excellence, just as it was done 130 years ago.

Emphasising what makes the Tiffany setting different from other six-prong engagement rings, the jeweller is reminding soon-to-be brides (and their prospective fiancés) that Tiffany rejects 99.96% of the world’s gem-grade diamonds, and that its superlative standards go beyond the 4Cs (Tiffany’s 5th C, presence, grades a diamond’s brilliance, scintillation and dispersion).

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For the campaign, quotes from artisans’ appear with an image of the Tiffany setting with acclaimed photographer Martyn Thompson’s striking black-and-white photographs of the artisans’ hands performing their time-honoured tasks. In addition, director Keith Ehrlich worked with Tiffany to create black-and-white videos, which showcase more of these masters at work, with voiceovers by the artisans themselves.

In the campaign, chief gemologist Melvyn Kirtley said: “I will reject 99.96% of the world’s finest diamonds because there’s a difference between quality and Tiffany quality.” Diamond setter Tomasz Dziwura commented: “I will craft a setting so flawlessly that the exquisite diamond seems to float. Just as it was done 130 years ago.” And diamond polisher Jorge Jimenez added: “I will polish a diamond’s 57 facets with exacting precision and if only 56 of them are brilliant, I’ll consider it a failure.”